Culture

The first word of the first sentence written in Armenian characters, began with letter Ճ. The numerical value of Ճ is 100. It indicatesthe beginning of a new row – the values of the next 9 letters successively increase by 100. In medieval manuscripts, letter Ճ is pictured as men – actors, dancers, etc.

For multiplying 20 times 4, we get 80 [dz], which is the first letter of word oil [dzyut] in Armenian. And substituting the letter 400 [n] for 80 [dz], we change the word oil [dzyut] in to the word for matter [nyut], which symbolizes the new leaven that miraculously raises up the lump of dough.

Հ is the first letter of the words Հայ – Armenian, Հայաստան – Armenia, Հայրենիք – homeland. Besides, ՀՀ is the abbreviation of the name of the Armenian state, the Republic of Armenia – Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն [(Hayastani Hanrapetutyun]).

In Grabar, the Old Armenian language, կ stood for a sound that conformed to the Russian [к]. Of the two New Armenian literary languages, only the Eastern Armenian inherited this sound, while in the Western Armenian կ has retained its traditional way of writing.

According to one of the existing versions, letter Ծ derives from the Armenian letter Զ [z]. Supporters of another version believe that the graphic form of Ծ originates in letter of the Syriac еstrangelo – the oldest of all varieties of the Syriac script.

In Armenian, a Christian is also called “khachapasht” that means “someone who worships cross”. The numerical value of Խ is 40. This number is repeatedly used in the Bible: the flood lasted forty days and nights

The numerical value of lyun is 30. In the acrostic written by Mashtots, it stands for the word Լույս ([luys] – light). Light is the traditional symbol of divinity and sacredness, which originates in the Bible, where “God is light” (John, 11:5).

The numerical value of Ժ is 10. It is noteworthy that Ժ denotes the beginning of a decimal line, i.e. the values of the next nine letters successively increase by ten. In the alphabetic acrostic written by Mashtots, letter Ժ stands for the word Ժամանակ ([zhamanak] – time).